The first scientific research took place in 1969 and was published in 1970 in Science Magazine (which is one of the world's top academic journals). By my latest count, there have been 340 peer-reviewed articles published on TM, many of which have appeared in highly respected journals. For those unfamiliar with scientific publishing, peer-reviewed means that each article is subjected to scrutiny by independent reviewers who are authorities in their field. - Dr Norman Rosenthal in Transcendence: Healing and Transformation through Transcendental Meditation, 2011, p14.

“John would have been the first one now, if he had been there, to recognise and acknowledge what Maharishi has done for the world and appreciate it" - Yoko Ono (2008) "This is one of the few things that has been given to me in my life that has real value to me." - Paul McCartney (2009)" “That was the main thing through the sixties I got into India. I think that was the ONE thing in my life, I could have done without everything else "- George Harrison (1987) "It gives me great pleasure to be part of this evening. I feel the aims of this charity [David Lynch Foundation which raises funds to teach one million at-risk children to meditate] are wonderful!" - Ringo Starr (2009)

"Everybody has a birthright to enjoy abiding peace and unbounded joy, which is the essential nature of his own soul. And I hold that everybody already possesse the capacity of enjoying it, because it is already there in the innermost recess of everybody's heart." -- Maharishi

A lot of things were going on, and anyway, he was one of the people who helped me out of that. Not that he said "here I'm helping you out". He was helping everybody, but he seriously helped me.
...
The big one for me of course is to bring in meditation into schools. And you know he was telling me that they know from the heads of schools that the violence has gone down. How far out is that!

Ringo Starr interviewed by Bob Roth about the David Lynch Foundation (2014)

Ringo Starr Honored With 'Lifetime of Peace and Love Award'
David Lynch and an all-star band paid tribute to the musician in Los Angeles at the El Rey Theatre on January 20, 2014 in Los Angeles, California

For his 68th birthday last night, director David Lynch threw a party for Ringo Starr. More precisely, the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace gave Starr the not-made-up-at-all "Lifetime of Peace and Love Award." Which meant that Lynch's foundation wanted to honor the peace-loving Starr as a pioneer of Transcendental Meditation and promote the teaching of meditation to school children and military veterans.

Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono sent videos in which they declared their Ringo-love, while Lynch gave a short speech that began "In all the galaxies of peace and love, Ringo is a giant star" and ended with "Hurray for Ringo!" Starr took the stage and discussed his own history with transcendental meditation. "He was so full of joy," Starr said of the Maharishi, "I said, 'I want some of that.'"

Bob Roth interviews Ringo Starr

In this video Ringo talks about the Beatles experience first meeting Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and learning the Transcendental Meditation technique. He goes on to discuss David Lynch and his support of bringing Transcendental Meditation into schools.

Text of the video:

Bob Roth: The thing that I find interesting in listening to all your interviews is people talking about the impact that your music has had on so many people but the fact is I mean I've been meditating since 1969.

Ringo Starr: This morning? Yeah? Okay good! [Laugh]

Bob Roth: I have been teaching it for almost forty years, head up the foundation, but that thing well the music is had such an impact, the fact is Ringo, you guys going in (and) meeting Maharishi and then talking about it actually now, millions of people are accessing that field of peace and love within.

Actually now, millions of people are accessing that field of peace and love within

Ringo Starr: Yeah!

Bob Roth: And that has transformed lives. I don't know differently than the beautiful music.

Ringo : Sure!

Bob Roth: And I think this a band where you're being honored for lifetime with peace and love is very significant. I mean, just by setting it up, millions for people meditating. It's a schools, it in business, it is everywhere, it's mainstream and you went in 1967 met maharishi and started the whole thing.

Ringo Starr: Yeah! Well the meeting of Maharishi is what started it. And, the other part of the story was John and George going to a seminar of his in the Hilton in London, and coming back and leaving me a message to say: "We met this man". Didn't even say who he was. "We met this man. We're going to Wales, you got to come". Okay, so, and we went.
And when I first met him, it was in a room 'cause it was in a university, so it was like in dorm, you know in a dormitory. We were all living! And ah, it was, it's one of those mind-altering moments of your life, because the man was so full of joy, you know, and happiness and it just blew me away!
You know on my best day I never felt like he looked. It was so far out. He was so... I just thought "I want some of that!" You know what I mean? That was the best thing that could happen.

Bob Roth:Where were you before that?

Ringo Starr: Well, I never meditated in my life.

Bob Roth: But even just your head.

Ringo Starr: My head was a bit... In 66, 67, mainly 67 was a bit confused. A lot of things were going on, and anyway, he was one of the people who helped me out of that. Just not that he said "Here, I'm helping you out", he was helping everybody, but he seriously helped me.

Bob Roth: Okay let's fast-forward. So we fast forward to this event for you’re receiving the lifetime of peace and love award.

Ringo Starr: Yeah, how great is that! I mean, you know, I was asked "would you receive?". What do you mean "would I?", "honored to receive!" You know, it's great!

Bob Roth: And what is it, you know, you've come to know David, or your sense of David and his work?

Ringo Starr: Well the sense of David in his work is brilliant. I mean he's doing a lot more than I am, and you and, you know, the Foundation. I mean that's what he's working for. Ah, you know I mean the big one for me of course is to bring in the meditation into schools. And you know he was telling me that they know from the heads of schools that the violence has gone down. How far out is that! You know?

Bob Roth: Particularly when kids are taking guns into school.

Ringo Starr: I know! Well you know it's in, like, hard schools it mainly goes in. That is incredible. You have to support him for that!

The big one for me of course is to bring in meditation into schools. And you know he was telling me that they know from the heads of schools that the violence has gone down. How far out is that!